Spector v. Heidinger

This is an appeal from an order of the trial court reopening a decedent’s estate for the purpose of amending the heirship table to include heirs which were unknown to the trial court at the time that the estate was closed. The order was issued pursuant to a petition under section 72 of the Civil Practice Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1981, ch. 110, par. 72).1 Respondents’ contentions on appeal are that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the petition because the exclusive method for reopening a decedent’s estate is by petition under section 24 — 9 of the Probate Act of 1975 (Ill. Rev. Stat.…